Keep within Compass: OR, The worthy Legacy of a wise Father to his beloved Son; teaching him how to live richly in this world and eternally happy in the world to come. Meet for all sorts of people whatsoever.   depiction of a well-dressed man framed by a pair of compasses (dividers) and the word "VERTVE" 
Atheism. ✚ Pray in thy Chamber. In Religion. VIRTUE Luxury. ✚ Converse with good Men: Conversation. Gluttony. ✚ Eat thine own Labours: Diet. Prodigality. ✚ Suit thine own Calling: Apparel.  
Printed at London for I. Trundle dwelling in Barbican.   

TO THE WORTHY Gentleman, and his best respected Friend, Mr. Roger Taylor, all those good wishes his own heart desireth.  
Worthy SIR:  
THE frequent custom of this Age to challenge Patrons, and to trouble their brains with bestowing upon those Patron's Mountebank Encomiums, hath no whit at all taken up my mind, since no folly can be greedy thereof but shall purchase wit enough for that purpose.  
Suffice it is my true knowledge of you, and my truer love unto you, which makes me send this poor infant of my brain, and slender Collections to kiss your hand: which in as much as the root or centre is Virtue, the circumference that happy list or bound, out of which no good man will willingly stray, and in which I know the goodness of your inclination makes you delight to live: on whom can I better bestow it, both in respect of the thing, which only looketh upon Virtue; and in respect of yourself, who is not only a lover, but a supporter of the virtuous. So that to conclude, if your acceptance shall say I have done well, I will believe all which are good (like you) will agree with you; who doth the contrary I will laugh at, for he loves not Goodness.  
Yours john T.   

To the Reader.  

PEruse this Dial every day,  
Wherein no hour shall pass away,  
But by it thou shalt learn to find  
Some jewel to enrich thy mind.  
Count one the first hour of thy breath.  
And all the rest to lead to death.  
Count twelve thy doleful passing Bell,  
And so my Dial shall go well.   
 depiction of a clockface 
The Dial.   

The Hours.  

I  
ONe God, one Baptism, and one Faith,  
One Truth there is, the Scripture saith.   

TWO  
Two Testaments, the Old and New,  
We must acknowledge to be true.   

III  
Three Persons in the Trinity  
Do make one God in Unity.   

IIII  
Four holy Evangelists there are,  
Which Christ's birth, life & death declare.   

V  
Five wounds the jews our Saviour gave,  
Whence flowed the blood that all men save.   

VI  
Six days to labour is no wrong:  
For God himself did work so long.   

VII  
Seven deadly Sins in man do rest,  
Which once expelled, man's soul is blest.   

VIII  
Eight in Noah's Ark alone were found,  
When in a word the world lay drowned.   

IX  
Nine Hyrarchies of Angels raise  
Both day and night jehovahs' praise.   

X  
Ten Statutes God to Moses gave,  
Which broke or kept, do spill or save.   

XI  
Eleven above with God do dwell,  
The twelfth burns in perpetual hell.   

XII  
Twelve attended on God's Son,  
Twelve made the Creed: my Dyalls done.     

Keep within Compass: OR A Direction for good life.  

In Religion.  
FIrst, my son understand, that Religion is a justice of men towards God, or a divine honouring of him in the perfect and true knowledge of his word, peculiar only to man: It is the ground of all other virtues, and the only means to unite and reconcile man unto God for his salvation: And whosoever breaketh out of this list or circumference, strayeth through Atheism, into eternal damnation.  
True Religion is the soul of Innocency, moving in an uspotted conscience.  
To be doubtful in Religion, is to be certain of the greatest punishment.  
True Religion hath three virtues to be known by: first, it serveth the true God: next, limiteth every action by the word: and lastly, reconciles man to his Maker if he do pursue it.  
The first precept from the wisest Philosopher was to fear God: and the first Law amongst good men to increase Religion.  
It is Faith and not Reason which teachethmen Religion.  
Religion is the stay of the weak, the master of the ignorant, the philosophy of the simple. As he that heareth without ears, can interpret our prayers without our tongues: so a religious man may pray and never open his lips.  
Religion is the oratory of the devout, the remedy of sin, the counsel of the just, and the comfort of them in tribulation.  
Religion is that absolute clean Beast which both chaweth the cud, and divides the hoof: for it makes a man ruminate and chaw holy meditations till they give divine nourishment: and the one claw pointeth man to the fear of God, the other to the love of his neighbour.  
He is happily religious, whom no fear troubleth, no sorrow consumeth, no fleshly lust tormenteth, no desire of worldly wealth afflicteth, nor any foolishness moveth unto mirth.  
Religion teacheth▪ men to pray: and no man is so happy, as he whose life is a continual prayer.  
Religion is the wings that bear the soul up to heaven, and meditation the eye which only can see God living.  
Religious devotion is a continual discourse or conference with God: for when thou readest, God speaks to thee, when thou prayest thou talk'st with God.  
True Religion makes prayer ascend, that Grace may descend.  
In thy devotions fix thy judgement on thy faith, not on thine experience: for faith is truth, experience but deceitful.  
To desire sufficient things is needless, for God will give them undemanded: but desire to be contented with such things as he bestoweth, for therein will consist thy happiness.  
Except true religion make us understand God in his word, our sight is but blindness, our understanding ignorance, our wisdom foolishness, and our devotion devilishness.  
Religion will teach thee to know that God is a most bright Sun which ariseth upon those that fear him and goes down from them that are careless and profane.  
God sits in the highest heavens, if thou wilt lift up thyself unto him, he will fly from thee: but if thou humbless thyself before him, he will come down unto thee.  
True Religion brings a man up to heaven, which is the seat of glory, the habitation of Angels, the resting place of the faithful, far beyond thought, and glorious beyond report.  
He that bites of every weed must needs taste poison, and he that is of divers religions must needs meet with damnation.  
Religion will make thee know well and do well: and they are the only two points belonging to Virtue.  
As plants measurably watered grow the better, but being watered too much, are drowned and die: so opinions in religion mixed with moderation are made sound and refreshed, but accompanied with too severe curiosity oft turn and convert to heresy.  
As a ship with a sure Anchor may lie any where: so, the mind ruled by religious reason, is quiet at all seasons.  

Since holy Writ shows us Gods holy power,  
With pure heart adore him every hour.   

Begin thy days work when the day gins,  
First blessing Gods thrice blessed name devout:  
And then at evening, when thy labour ends,  
Praise him again: so bring the day about.   

Not voice but vow, not lip, not tongue, but heart:  
Not sound but soul, that God takes in good part.   

What Gods high hidden counsels are,  
wast not thy wits to learn:  
But being mortal, mind the things  
which mortal men concern.   

The Serpent's sting, the beasts sharp tooth we shun.  
But from profane men only see thou run.  
Learn of the learned, and instruct thy friends.  
Knowledge concealed both God and man offends   

Shame not in ignorance to show  
thy willingness to learn:  
The shame is theirs, that nothing know,  
nor no good will decern.   

Against a just religious man,  
contend not wickedly:  
For God in rigour will revenge  
his wrong and injury.   

Nature impart thee all that she can teach,  
And God supply where nature cannot reach.   

Out of Compass, In Religion, is Atheism.  
WHo doubts of God with Pythagoras is an Infidel, who denieth God with Diagoras is a Devil.  
Vice is the habitude of sin, sin the act of the habitude, but want of Religion the ground of both.  
Lust bringeth short life, prodigality wretched life, but want of Religion assured and eternal damnation.  
The sickness of age is Avarice, the errors of Youth profaneness.  
Craft putteth on him the habit of policy, malice the shape of Courage, rashness the title of valour, lewdness the image of pleasure, but want of religion hath no cloak but Curses.  
If youth want religion, old age can never know honesty.  
Deceit is too familiar with wisdom, austerity with temperance; pride with great minds, prodigality with liberality, rashness with fortitude, and superstition with religion.  
There is no greater sign of wickedness then open heresy.  
Sermons guilt with words, and not matter, are like images that painted seem fair, but looked into are found earth.  
Who can be more unfortunate than he that of necessity will needs be irreligious.  
As sin blinds the eyes of the profane man, so punishments opens them. When profane men are in the height of their jollity, mischief it ever knocking at the door.  
A profane man never seems more ugly than when he would dissemble or appear religious.  
A profane man is the true shadow of the Devil, and at the end comes to his substance.  
An irreligious man trampleth goodness under foot like the grass of the field, and preserveth vice as the flowers of the season, when all good men know, the first doth keep fresh and flowrisheth, the latter doth suddenly decay and withereth.  
To make jests of Religion, of Charity or chastity, are the perfect notes of most profane impudence.  
Who thinks to thrive by what God hath accursed, lives upon miserable gains which are purchased by the loss of his soul, for there is no true gain but from a good conscience.  
Hypocrisy is the first sin that falls into a reprobate sense, for in all the bundle of sinners was never read of an Hypocrites repentance.  
Be fearful to commit sin especially exemplar sin; and of them above all, the sin of heresy and new sect, making a way to other men's practice, lest they perishing therein, it be reckoned in thine account: every man hath enough of his own, woe to him which bears that, and others, since every small sin like a millstone is able to press thee down to the pit of hell.  
Affect not popularity for self-love of knowledge for the end never proves good; and though attained by desert, yet it is as dangerous as contempt: for states keep down those whom they contemn, but cut away all those whom they envy, and therefore not to a●●e●t nor to neglect, is the best discretion.  
Fear God, honour thy parents, reverence thy friends, obey the laws, and all from the rule of upright religion.  
Let every irreligious and profane man take to his consideration, his time past, his time present, and his time to come: what God hath done for him, what he doth and what he will do, what God would have done, what man doth, and what he should do and let him weigh the good omitted with the evil committed, and to them put the punishment deserved, and then think how long God hath deferred, how justly he will punish and how surely he will come: he shall then find a short life, a sure death, and a most certain heavey judgement.  
Profane men must remember that as death leaves them, judgement finds them, and justice rewards them: so that there is nothing but infinite misery in his life, in his death and after death.  
He that shows more religious at one time then another, either hath already or very shortly intends to deceive thee.  
He that hath too quick a belief hath ever too rash a judgement.  
Who fears not God, fears every thing else he seeth▪  
He that minds least good, ever affecteth the worst mischief.  

Knewest thou one month should end thy days,  
it would give cause of sorrow:  
And yet perhaps thou laughs to day,  
when thou must die to morrow.   

Men trample grass, and praise the flowers of May,  
Yet grass is green when flowers fade away.   

Profane men look what conscience you have:  
For conscience both must damn you, & must save.   

By new sects to raise up new names,  
is but a losing gain:  
Evils on good men's ruins built,  
to ruin turn again.   

Who is a false judge, one day must appear  
So to be judged as he hath judged here.   

Build thy house near so high,  
All delight in pleasure take:  
In the dust thou must lie,  
Till the last Trump thee awake:   

Therefore all is lost and spended,  
That to Virtue is not intended.   

If thou wilt back into thy Compass get,  
These six fair Rules near to thy conscienceset.   

Beat down the evil: raise the just:  
Learn best thyself to know:  
Hold holy Writ: and counsel peace:  
Be Patient in thy woe.     

Keep within Compass, In Conversation.  
Conversation is the main body of honesty, whose greatest branches are familiarity and friendship with good men, drawing the community of a perpetual will to the fellowship of life: all which is founded and built by the profit of a long continued love, and furnished with more pleasure than desire.  
Let thy conversation carry a perfect consent of all things appertaining as well unto God as man, with benevolence and charity.  
The love of men to women is a thing common and of course: but the friendship of man to man infinite and immortal.  
The fellowship and conversation of a true friend in misery is always sweet, and his counsels in prosperity are ever fortunate.  
Let thy conversation with friendship have a three fold lustre: the first in neighbourhood: the second in hospitality: and the last in thy particular love.  
If thy conversation win thee love, either by bounty, or the study of virtue, it goes from a passion to an habit, and so leaveth the name of love, and is called friendship, the which no time can violate.  
Forget not in thy conversation, that to beg any thing of thy friend, is most dearly to buy it.  
It is a most grievous thing to try thy friends, yet must they be touched, lest shining like the Carbunkle, as if they had fire, they be found by the Test, to be without faith.  
Strive to be in love with Virtue out of the inclination of thine own virtue: for it is but a flanish good which Laws and extremity doth keep from committing of evil.  
Let wisdom propound discreet ends to thine affairs, and do nothing rashly: for an honest survey of things to come prevents ensuing repentance.  
Let not the Sun go down on thy wrath, but whether injuring or injured, offer reconciliation: for the peacemaker is blessed. If thy enemy do it before thee, he conquers thee, and thou losest that blessing.  
Let thine own breast be the Cabinet for thine own secret counsels, and do not believe that it is too hard for one, but that it is enough for two, and a great deal too much for three.  
Let never any malice make thee reneale what the least friendship hath shut in thy bosom.  
Let the choice of thy friend be a journey into the Indies, long in doing, but once chosen keep him to the end: for to want a friend is to want virtue, and to change often shows incertain honesty.  
Let thy speech be like Moses his, slow, but advised, and forethink the fitness of thy speech before thine utterance: affirm nothing but truth within thine own knowledge, and rather be silent then speak to evil purpose.  
In praising be discreet without envy: in saluting courteous: in admonishing friendly: in forgiving merciful: in promising faithful: in recompensing bountiful: and make not the reward of Virtue the gift of favour.  
Give every man the reverence due to his place, but respect his goodness before his greatness.  
Avoid pride in thy youth, disdain it in thine age, and fear and suspect it at all seasons.  
Pride hath two steps to climb by, allow blood, and a great envy.  
Keep thy foot from the door of the harlot, thy hand from the book of the lender, thy tongue from the slander of thy neighbour, thy society from the drunkard and Epicure: for poverty shall be their portion: And the sleeper shall be clothed with rags.  
Beware of Suretyship: it is the bird-lime of the time, and locks up men in bolted cages.  
Be not unthrifty to spend too much love on thyself: nor yet so extreme frugal, not to spend good wit and words together. And howsoever thou studiest the highest things, let thy modesty look for no rent from thyself, but strangers. Say with the Wiseman, thou knowest nothing, but that thou knowest nothing.  
Rule those that live under thee rather with love then fear: the first is safe, the latter dangerous.  
In hearing controversies, cleanse thine ears from the wax of other men's reports, and lend the one to the accuser, the other to the accused: & let the cause of the poor and needy come in equal balance with the rich and mighty: and if by advantageous wealth any mountains be raised to obscure the poor valley, pull down the first, and raise up the latter, till both come to an even level.  
Make not recreation an occupation, for the too much use thereof converts to poison, & like a surfeit of honey, cannot be cured without digesting of wormwood.  

If thou survey the lives of men,  
and manners of the time:  
While each reproves another's fault,  
look who is void of crime.   

Love not wild things how fair so ere they seem,  
'Tis Virtue and not Wealth wisemen esteem.   

Be constant: but if cause require  
unstable seem to be.  
Wise men their conversations change,  
and yet from faults are free.   

Argue not with a man is nought but words,  
Speech, but not wisdom, Nature us affords.   

So love thy friend, as to thyself  
a loving friend thou be:  
So bound thy bounty to the best,  
that harm pursue not thee.   

The better to supply thy want,  
spare what thy hand hath got.  
And that thou mayst thy penny save,  
suppose thou hast it not.   

Without Compass In Conversation is Luxury.  
THe smile of a Foe that proceedeth of envy is worse than the tear of a friend proceeding of pity.  
There can be no amity, where there is no virtue, and that friendship is most hateful and accursed, where some become friends to do unto others mischief.  
A false friend is like quicksilver unto gold, it cleans unto it & seems as if it would never forsake it, but if it once come into the fire, it presently flies away in fume, and though the gold remain, yet is the silver never more to be discerned, and such is a feigned friend in the time of tribulation.  
He that is immoderate in his laughter or too audacious in his speech, in the one expresseth his folly, in the other his pride.  
He whose sad countenance is ever void of alacrity, hath a proud heart empty of all humility.  
A man of ill conversation may slander his neighbour four several ways, first, in his silence, when he saith nothing, and yet can truly clear an imputation falsely affirmed: secondly, in writing, casting out libels that are false and unjustifiable: thirdly, in doubts, by drawing away the good opinions of other men: and lastly, in his authority, by making such as trust him believe untruths and falsehoods.  
Who swears for lucre or gain of money, goes but a hairs breadth from perjury (though his oath be just) for the sin of covetousness will confound him.  
Those which have no care but to heap up riches, and are not able to employ them, are like those men which have goodly Horses, but know not how to ride them.  
He that doth good to the wicked, is like him that gives meat to another man's dog, for they bark at him as well as at others.  
Luxury, is a pleasure bought with pain, a delight hatched with disquiet; a content passed with fear, and a sin finished with sorrow.  
Luxury is an enemy to the purse, a foe to the person, a canker to the mind, a corrosive to the conscience, a weakner of the wit, a besotter of the senses, and lastly a mortal bane to the whole body: so that who so lives out of compass in this wilderness, shall find pleasure the path way to perdition, and Luxury the loadstone to utter ruin.  
The Jealous man living dies, and dying prolongs out his life in passions worse than death, he sees none but with suspicion; heareth no man knock but with amazement, nor interprets any discourse but to dishonest purpose: if his wife frown she hates him; if she smile she hath had success in adultery: modesty is dissimulation, favour is a decree of false dealing, and in conclusion nothing can he see but doubts and frenzy.  
Envy shooteth at others, but for the most part evermore woundeth herself.  
Envy, is the filthy slime & impostume of the soul, a perpetual torment to him in whom it abideth, a venom, or quicksilver which consumeth the flesh and drieth up the marrow of the bones.  
Dissimulation is an evil humour of the mind, and contrary to honesty: it is a countenance ever disagreeing from the hearts imaginations, and a notorious liar in whatsoever it suggesteth.  
The flattery of an enemy is like the song of the Siren, it both enchants, deceives and brings to destruction.  
He that is vainly carried away with all things, is never delighted with any one thing.  
It is a common imperfection to commit folly, but an extraordinary perfection to a mend it.  
As no Uermyne will breed where they find no warmth, no vultures sleep where they find no prey, no flies swarm where they see no flesh, no Pilgrim creep where there is no cross, so there is no flattering parasit will lurk where he finds no gain.  
He that mistrusts without cause is evermore credulous without proof.  
Causeless suspicion is the next way to make him do evil, which otherwise would carry a constant resolution to honesty.  
Ignorance is that defect which causeth a man to judge evil of things, to deliberate worse, not to know how to take present advantage of good things, but to conceive ill of whatsoever is good in man's life.  
Cruelty is extreme wrong, the rigorous effect of an evil disposed will and the fruit which is reaped from injustice.  
Fear and Cowardice is destitute of reason, always attended on with two perturbations of the soul, Baseness and Sadness: it is also the defect of the virtue of fortitude.  
quips or scoffs are depraving from the actions of other men, they are the overflowings of wit and the superfluous skums' of conceits.  
Careless men are evermore near neighbours to their own harms.  

He that doth promise all and nought doth give,  
Dies with men's hate, with flattery doth live.   

If friends to whom thou hast been kind,  
thy kindness nought regard:  
Accuse not Fate, but blame thy fault,  
be wiser afterward.   

If wedded thou have children store,  
and little wealth to give,  
To bring them up in Idleness,  
most wretched shall they live.   

What is thy due, thou mayst require,  
or what seems honest crave,  
But Fools do evermore desire,  
the things they should not have.   

Who fears to die doth ever hold  
all follies foul effect,  
For such fond fear, all joy of life,  
doth utterly reject.     

Keep within Compass. In Apparel.  
LEt the furniture and ornaments of thy person be fit and suitable for thy place or honour, but not too curious: for the one becomes a man of wisdom, the other appertaineth to persons effeminate or such as delight in ostentation  
Think the best apparel thou canst get from God is true felicity, and the richest cloth of thine own spinning to be good counsel.  
It is better to be poor and honest then rich and wicked, for justice is better than riches: the one dies with the body, but the other lives as long as memory.  
Whatsoever thou spendest in earthly vanities, they either die before thee or shortly follow after thee.  
Pass not by the poor as no part of thy care, lest God in thy wants so turn away his face from thee.  
Let the Covetous man fill his bag never so full, the Voluptuous man take his pleasure never so long, the Ambitious Courtier build his house like his thoughts never so high, the proud Lady paint never so thick, the young Man defer repentance never so long; yet all must die, all give an account, all be judged.  
Eat painted bravery, for it is a riotous excess either in apparel or other ornaments, it is also a part of pride and contrary to decency and comeliness.  
Spend not beyond thy power, nor hope on others promise, for both are guides to beggary.  
Be not careless in spending thine own wealth, that thou mayst be esteemed careful to preserve another man's substance.  
How vain a thing is bravery which is borrowed from the worms, laboured by the hands, bought with much charge, and defaced with every spot.  
All outward ornaments are toys of vanity, but an humble spirit is a token of piety.  
As the weed cannot be esteemed precious for the fair flower which it beareth, so hold no man virtuous for the gay garments he weareth.  
Never be proud of thine apparel, since the colour cannot compare with flowers, the fine thirds with the Spider's web, nor the sweet perfume with the Muskcats excrements.  
The only commendable end of music is to praise God.  
Music used moderately like sleep, is the bodies best recreation.  
Nothing ravisheth the mind sooner than Music, and no Music is more sweet than man's voice.  
Patience exceedeth knowledge and Music begetteth patience.  
Use dancing for recreation or for grave solemnities, yet ever with moderation: for at such times a chaste mind knows not how to be corrupted.  
By all means shun pride in every part of thee: for it is an unreasonable desire to enjoy honours, estates and great places, it is a vice of excess, & contrary to modesty which is a part of temperance.  
Game for recreation not lucre; for so the blemished may recover some beauty, and let thy game taste of wit and scholarship; more than of sleight or fortune.  
Be temperate in all thine actions: for temperance is that light which driveth away the darkness of all passions, it is of all virtues most wholesome: for it preserveth both publicly and privately human society, it lifteth up the soul most miserably thrown down in vice, and restoreth her again into her place: it is also a mutual consent of the parts of the soul, causing all disorder and unbridled affections to take reason for a rule and direction.  
Constancy and temperance in thine actions maketh virtue strong.  
Frugality is the badge of discretion.  
He that is not puffed up with praise, nor afflicted with adversities, nor moved by slanders, nor corrupted by benefits, is fortunately most temperate.  
There is nothing in the world better than moderation: for by it the assaults of the flesh are subdued and the fruits of good life retained.  
Temperance hath eight handmaids, Modesty, Shamefastness, Abstinence, Continency, Honesty, Moderation, Sparing and Sobriety.  
If thou wilt be just thou must be temperate: for it is the office of justice to have his soul free from perturbations.  
Be valiant but cool in doing injuries, a coward wears but the disguised mask of temperance; and is inwardly most revengeful.  
He is worthy to be called a moderate person which firmly governeth and bridleth (with reason) the vice of sensuality, and all other gross affections of the mind.  
Be as far from ambition as from dejection, the one is his own slave, the other all the worlds.  
Preserve thy name, for that comes from thine ancestors, but thy good reputation from thy virtues.  
When greatness cannot bear itself with virtue nor ancestry, it overthrows itself only with the weight of itself.  

Spare for no cost in thine attire,  
if cause require the same,  
Apenny better spent then spared,  
adds to an honest name.  
Abandon superfluities,  
let comely things content,  
Safe is the bark on calmer seas,  
toth' wished haven bend.  
Eschew by over nice attire,  
foul envies hateful sting:  
Which though it hurt not; to endure,  
is yet an irksome thing.  
Fly wanton Riot and withal,  
eschew the common Fame,  
Of Avarice; both which extremes,  
impair a man's good name.  
Of wished health have chiefest care,  
warm clothing do provide,  
Light and unwholesome garments are  
true Emblems of man's pride.   

Out of Compass, In Apparel, is Prodigality.  
WHo falls into Prodigality is drowned in the excess of liberality, which coming to extremity proves most vicious, wasting virtues faster than substance, and substance faster than any virtue can get it.  
Prodigality is the fire of the mind, whose heat is so violent, that it ceaseth not, whilst any matter combustible is present to burn necessary things into dust and cinders.  
To spend much without getting, to lay out all without reckoning, & to give all without considering, are the true effects of prodigality.  
He that is sumptuous in his apparel, lavish of his tongue, and superfluous in his diet; is the Cook's hope, the tailors thrift, and the true son of repentance.  
Riches lavishly spent, brings grief to thy heart, discontent to thy friends, and misery to thine heirs.  
A proud eye, an open purse, and a light wife, bring mischief to the first, care to the next, and horns to the last.  
An unthrift is known like a horse by his marks, as by the company he keepeth, the Taverns he haunteth, the whores he maintaineth, and the expense he useth.  
Excessive or covetous gaming at cards or dice is a smooth sleight, and thievish legerdemain, whereby many rob with justification.  
How much the more cunning a man is in Dyce play, so much the more he is corrupt in life and manners.  
The Devil was the first inventor of gaming.  
dicing neither beseemeth the gravity of a Magistrate, nor the honour of a gentleman, because the gain is loaden with dishonest practices, and the loss with unquiet passions.  
When pride is in the saddle, mischief and shame sits on the crupper.  
Husbandmen esteem more of those ears of corn that hang down then of those that stand up strait, for in them is much grain in the other chaff.  
The spring of pride is lying, and the fountain of truth is humility.  
Immoderate dancing is the chiefest instrument of Riot and excess.  
Hunting is the exercise of a man, dancing of a woman. Yet one said, that a Dancer differs nothing from a mad man, but only in length of time, the one being mad so long as he liveth, the other whilst he danceth.  
They which love dancing too much seems to have more drains in their feet then in their head, and think to play the fools with reason.  
disagreeing music and vain pastimes are the hindrances of delight.  
One day takes from us the credit of another and the excess of sundry sounds take away all pleasure and delight in the sounds.  
Those that seek rather to deck their bodies then their souls, seem men rather created for their bodies, than their souls.  
Excess in vanity hath never end.  
Theft and the gallows ever attend at the heels of excess.  
He that employeth his substance in bravery, is the Mercer's friend, the tailors fool, and his own enemy.  
As you would judge one to be ill at ease that weareth a plaster upon his face, or one that hath been scourged, to be punished by the law, so you may know that a painted face betokeneth a diseased soul marked with adultery.  
Those which are curious in decking of the body, do despise the care of their soul.  
A young man untemperate and full of carnal affections, bringeth the body to old age much sooner with disease then time.  
He cannot be a friend to temperance that delighteth in pleasure, nor love government that liketh Riot.  
Trim not thy house with tables and pictures, but paint it and gild it with temperance, the one vainly feedeth the eyes, the other is an eternal ornament which cannot be defaced.  
Where sundry flies bite, the gall is great, and where every hand fleeceth the sheep go naked.  
He that goeth a borrowing, evermore goeth a sorrowing.  
It is an ancient custom amongst the masters of good clothes and shallow wits, not to honour him that to the commonwealth is most profitable, but him that to their company is most acceptable.  
He that makes himself a sheep shall ever be eaten of the wolf.  
He that loseth favour on land to seek out fortune at sea, is like him that stareth so long at a star till he fall into a ditch.  

Lose wits do never keep a mean,  
but spend their wealth too fast:  
Goods long in gathering, oft are seen  
in little time to waste.  
Who spends his dead friends honest gift,  
or wastes his fortune's lot:  
At best is but a prodigal,  
at worst a lavish sot.  
Of riches if thy latter age  
a larger portion find,  
To grow more greedy by such gain,  
shows a base Miser's mind.  
Who doth elect a wife alone  
for wealth and worldly store,  
Oft finds a thriftless Steward, and  
most commonly a whore.  
Use what thou hast to do thee good,  
but see thou make no waste:  
Who vainly spend their own and want,  
seek other men's at last.  
One blessed note of blessedness  
is riches to deny:  
Which who so covets to engross,  
lives always beggarly.     

Keep within Compass In Diet.  
SUffice Nature but surfeit not, supply the bodies need, but offend not.  
Haunt not taverns, brothels, or Alehouses, but beware the danger & expense, the bane of body, soul, and substance.  
Mark the fearful end of notorious evil men, to abhor their wickedness: mark the life of the godly, that thou mayst imitate it: observe thy betters, respect the wise, accompany the honest, & love the religious.  
Govern thyself with moderation & modesty in drink, but if it happen thou into company, arise & departed rather than be overcome with drinking: for the spirit overcome with wine is like a coach-horse, who having overthrown his ruler, runs here & there without order, having no guide to direct him: so the soul is very much offended, when the understanding is distempered.  
Moderate diet is the wise man's cognisance: but surfeit & banqueting a fools paradise.  
To live well & frugally is to live temperately: for there is great difference between living well & living sumptuously: the one proceeds from discipline and moderation of the soul contented with her own riches: the other from lust & contempt of all order and mediocrity, but at last the one is followed with shame, the other with eternal praise & commendation.  
Continence in meat and drink is the beginning and foundation of skill.  
Sobriety retains that in a wise man's thought, which a fool without discretion hath evermore in his mouth.  
Make not thy belly the commanding part of thy body.  
Remember as meat and drink is food to preserve the body, so is God's word the nourishment of thy soul.  
The first draft thou drinkest should be for thirst, the second for nourishment, the third for pleasure, but the fourth is for madness.  
Refrain from Surfeit, because it is the parent of Sloth, which is a vice fearing labour to ensue, and a desisting from the necessary actions both of body and mind: it is the sink which receiveth all the filthy channels of vice, and with that poisonous air infecteth the soul.  
Refuse not labour: for he that is idle can never excel in any Art.  
Make thine industry thy best companion: for surfeit and idleness dulleth understanding, nourisheth humours, choketh the brain, hinders thrift and displeaseth God.  
In thy cups beware of presumption: for it is a violent passion of the will, and an utter foe to prudence: it is that affection which thrusteth and exposeth the body to dangers, presuming only on vain hope and imagination, without either ground or reason.  
Vaunt not of victory before conquest, lest thy folly exceed thy valour.  
Fly not from that thou shouldst follow, lest thou pursue thine own destruction.  
Take heed of rashness in resolution, and cruelty in conquest: for the one is wilful, and the other wicked: and as the first wants wit, the latter wants grace.  
To strain further than thy sleeve will stretch, is to leave thine arm naked, and to skip beyond thy skill, is to leap, but not to know where to light.  
If thou wilt surfeit on pleasure, let it be in rejoicing at that day wherein thy tongue hath not missaid, and thy heart hath earnestly repent thy fins.  
Take no pleasure to feed on thine enemy's afflictions: for he that sitteth surest may in a moment be over thrown.  
Since joys are short, modestly embrace and feed on them when they come, for sorrows headlong follow one another.  
A wise man ought not to be puffed up with pleasure, for it is the food of filthiness: it killeth the body, weakeneth the judgement, & takes away understanding.  
He is not worthy the name of man that spends a whole day in pleasure.  

Thy sin of surfeit pardon not,  
Do penance for the same:  
Not Wine, but those abuse the gift,  
Are they deserve the blame.   

Sometimes for health spare diet use:  
For though of dainties store  
Dame Nature crave, yet to thy health  
Thou art indebted more.   

Be watchful, and not unto sleep inclined:  
For drowsy Sloth feeds but a vicious mind.   

Be thine own best Physician,  
Prefer thy health fore all:  
If evil diet make thee sick,  
Blame neither Spring nor Fall.   

Fly Banqueting the bane of life:  
Some honest business do:  
An idle mind decays itself,  
And wastes the body to.   

At Feasts and Banquets busy not  
Thy tongue with too much chat:  
Lest whilst thou wouldst be pleasant thought  
Thy talk be laughed at.   

To Venus' damned pleasures prone  
If thou thyself mistrust,  
Forbear to feed on costly cates,  
as motives unto lust.   

Out of Compass In Diet, is Gluttony.  
gluttony or surfeiting is the sworn enemy to Temperance, daughter to excess and immoderate appetite: she is health's bane, and humanity's blemish, life's Cockatrice, and the soul's hell, except Mercy wipe out the remembrance of so great a guilt.  
Nothing can be more abject and hurtful, then to live as a slave to the pleasures of the mouth and belly.  
Diseases gather together in man's body, and proceed no less of being too full then being too empty, and oftentimes a man hath more trouble to digest meat then to get meat.  
Gluttony drieth the bones, and more die by it then perish by the sword.  
Gluttony stirreth up lust, anger and love in extremity, extinguisheth understanding, opinion and memory.  
Wine hath as much force as fire: for as soon as it overtaketh one, if dispatcheth him, it discloseth the secrets of the soul, & troubleth the whole mind.  
Men are sick of those things whereby they live: for there is no proper or peculiar seed of diseases but the corruption of those things within them which they eat, and the faults and errors they commit against them.  
It is an old proverb (and most true) Much meat, much malady.  
Excess came from Asia to Rome, and Ambition from Rome to all the world.  
Sensual vice hath these three companions: first, blindness of understanding: then, hardness of heart: and the last, want of grace.  
Wine brings forth three grapes: the first of pleasure: the second of drunkenness, and the third of sorrow.  
Steel is the glass of beauty, and wine is the glass of the mind.  
Drunkenness is nothing else but a voluntary madness.  
Wine hath drowned more men than the sea hath devoured.  
Wine is the blood of the earth, and the shame of such as abuse it.  
Surfeit breeds idleness, and idleness is the only nurse and nourisher of sensual appetites, and the sole maintainer of wanton affections.  
That Epicure that passeth his life sloathfully without profit, aught to lose it without pity.  
Idleness and disguised clothes makes men women, women beasts, and beasts monsters.  
Idleness and feasts are the root of desperation, and desperation is a sorrowfulness without all hope of better fortune: a vice which falsely throwdeth itself under the title of fortitude and valour, and tickling the vain humours of the vainglorious, carries them to ignoble and indiscréet actions, to the utter loss both of souls and bodies.  

To make both mind and body strong,  
no labour do refuse:  
theyare wanton feasts which do forbid  
men recreation use.   

When feasts and riot have consumed,  
and brought thee unto grief.  
Then live content with what the time  
shall yield for thy relief.   

Exile all Sloth, and Cupid hath no might,  
His Bow lies broke, his Torch hath lost all light:  
But wallow still, and thou revivest that flame  
Shall honour him, but bury thee in shame.   

Who doth attempt things past his strength,  
and not regards the pain,  
Pulls danger on: but unto good  
all's labour is in vain.   

Who in his cups disdains to hear  
what profit may procure:  
Shall die accursed, since for his wealth  
he would not words endure.   

The wealth of this world none can want,  
that curbs his vain desires,  
And measures his expense with what  
necessity requires.   
FINIS.